Recombinant human CXC-chemokine receptor-4 in melanophores are linked to Gi protein: seven transmembrane coreceptors for human immunodeficiency virus entry into cells.
This article describes the transient expression of the CXC chemokine receptor-4 in Xenopus laevis melanophores and the resulting functional assay for the endogenous ligand for this receptor stromal cell-derived factor (SDF)-1alpha. Specifically, it will be shown that SDF-1alpha produces increased light transmittance in transfected cells that is consistent with the activation of Gi protein. This stimulus pathway is further implicated by the abolition of this response after pretreatment of the cells with pertussis toxin, a known method for the inactivation of Gi protein. The fact that SDF-1alpha does not produce responses in nontransfected cells and that treatment of the cells with 12G5, an antibody specific for the CXC chemokine receptor-4, eliminates this response indicates that this ligand produces responses by activation of this receptor in these cells. The possible relevance to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) entry into cells was explored by observing the effects of SDF-1alpha on HIV-mediated cell fusion. It was found that SDF-1alpha blocked cell-to-cell fusion (as has been previously reported) at concentrations 1200-fold greater than those required to produce Gi protein mediated responses. The implications of the functional assay to screening for new drugs to block HIV-mediated fusion is discussed.
Chen
W J
WJ
Department of Molecular Sciences, Glaxo Wellcome Research and Development, 5 Moore Drive, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA.
Jayawickreme
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C
Watson
C
C
Wolfe
L
L
Holmes
W
W
Ferris
R
R
Armour
S
S
Dallas
W
W
Chen
G
G
Boone
L
L
Luther
M
M
Kenakin
T
T
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D054377:Chemokine CXCL12; D019743:Chemokines, CXC / Q000502:physiology*; D019206:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gi-Go / Q000502:physiology*; D008024:Ligands; D008547:Melanophores; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D037342:Pertussis Toxin; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4 / Q000502:physiology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D015398:Signal Transduction; D010566:Virulence Factors, Bordetella / Q000494:pharmacology; D014982:Xenopus laevis
C515255:CXCL12 protein, human; D054377:Chemokine CXCL12; D019743:Chemokines, CXC; D008024:Ligands; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D010566:Virulence Factors, Bordetella; D037342:Pertussis Toxin; D019206:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gi-Go